Opening url in new Window?

How to open a new window with a new URL while browser automation session is ongoing?

Have you encountered situation where you are automating a website and same time you need to open other browser window to do something like read OTP or read E-Mail and come back to the AUT window and proceed automation...

I am sure If you are working in web automation testing you might have encountered this.

What solution we have ?

1. Launch a new WebDriver instance while one is having AUT loaded.
• For example below code :

  // Initial WebDriver instance to perform Automation Testing on AUT
  // (if Selenium 3.0 then set webdriver.gecko.driver path)
  WebDriver driver = new FirefoxDriver();
  driver.get("http://myAUT.com");
  // TODO: perform some automation stuff
  // ....
  // Now I want to open gmail in new window without disturbing
  // myAUT.com site
  // So launch a new WebDriver instance 
  WebDriver gmailBrowser = new FirefoxDriver();
  gmailBrowser.get("http://www.gmail.com");
  // Perform operations like read mail data here
  // String otp = gmailDriver.findElement(By.xpath("some locator"))
  // .getText(); 
  // Now close browser and go back to myAUT.com
  gmailBrowser.close();
  // now type otp in myAUT.com
  driver.findElement(By.id("some id")).sendKeys(otp);
  

  
  
• But is this really good approach? NO!!! absolutely not! 
• Because it's more confusing to work on two webdriver instance at a time.
• Both WebDriver instance do not share common session with server.
2. Launch a new url in new tab of existing WebDriver session
• Why to start a new WebDriver instance when you do use already existing one?
• This will also share existing session with server
• Approach: - 
• Execute a JavaScript code it will open a new url in new tab/window but in existing WebDriver instance
• Switch driver to point newly opened driver and do some task
• Once you are done close newly opened tab/window and switch back to AUT browser window
• Below is the sample script

  WebDriver driver = new FirefoxDriver();
  WebDriver driver = new FirefoxDriver();
  driver.get("http://google.com");
  // copy current window handle for future reference
  String autWindowHandle = driver.getWindowHandle();
  JavascriptExecutor executor = (JavascriptExecutor) driver;
  executor.executeScript("window.open('http://www.gmail.com','_blank')");
  
  // Switch driver to gmail and do your work
  for (String handle : driver.getWindowHandles()) {
   driver.switchTo().window(handle);
  }
  // do operations and read data.
  // String otp = driver.findElement(By.id("some id")).getText();
  
  //Now close gmail and switch back to AUT site
  driver.close();
  driver.switchTo().window(autWindowHandle);
  //Continue automation testing
  

I hope this will be useful to solve your problem.